The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Chapter 356 : 353: The Atmosphere Returns to Harmony (Second Update)

Assassinating a dragon was indeed a very foolish decision.

However, to assassinate a dragon with meticulous planning filled people with awe and terror.

"Father, brother, I cannot guarantee that this information is true, I can only relay the news brought by Her Excellency Chris, for you to analyze... The assassination plan of the dragon originated more than thirty years ago. The remnants of the Magic Goat Family lurked within the magicians' organization, the Goat Assembly, and they probably used Lich transformation techniques to make contact with the Former Marquis of Bull."

Subsequently, Liszt relayed the news brought by Chris and his own summarization of deductions, laying it all out.

After he finished speaking, Levis still refused to believe it, "This is too preposterous, assassinating the Sapphire Duke's dragon is not something a sane person could conceive. Dragons represent the pinnacle of the world's power. Even a sub-dragon or a dragon beast is not something one could casually hunt down."

His words held a certain logic.

Just as there was an immeasurable gap between Sky Knights and Dragon Knights, there existed an immeasurable gap between magical beasts and dragons.

Sky Knights and Grand Magicians were mighty; they could hunt down Intermediate Magical Beasts and even Advanced Magical Beasts.

But between Advanced Magical Beasts and dragons, there lay Super Magical Beasts, High-Level Dragonkin Magical Beasts, and Super Dragonkin Magical Beasts—three tiers of separation. It was hard to imagine anyone being able to overcome so many levels and kill a dragon that underpinned the fate of a nation. Therefore, the Marquis of Bull's dragon assassination plan seemed like a tasteless joke.

The earl didn't laugh; he looked at Chris, "You are a magician from the Goat Assembly, then, do you know a magician named Weber Truth?"

"He is one of the lead Grand Magicians of the Goat Assembly; we call him Instructor Weber. He's responsible for guiding new members to join."

"What about Worrent Truth?"

"Another lead Grand Magician. It was he and my teacher, Olivie Truth, who were responsible for hunting down us young magicians who knew the secrets," Chris answered with some pain.

The earl nodded and said to Liszt, "Escort Her Excellency Chris to rest, and then come back so we can talk more."

"Yes, Father."

...

After Liszt had escorted Chris out.

Levis couldn't wait, saying, "Father, you can't possibly believe the news Liszt brought is real. I have never believed a word said by that magician Chris from beginning to end."

"Don't be hasty, Levis," the earl sipped his wine, his expression stern, "I've met Weber Truth and Worrent Truth on one occasion. They are the two Grand Magicians worshipped by the Marquis of Bull... As for the Goat Assembly, I have heard of this magicians' organization; it originated from the exterminated Magic Goat Family."

"Is that so? Maybe Chris just appropriated the name 'Goat Assembly' to concoct a plot. Magicians love engaging in such things!"

"What could possibly be on Coral Island that merits a magician's scheme? Who would immerse themselves in seawater, unconscious for nine days, just to get close to a baron? Or to approach me through Liszt?" the earl said, his expression returning to calm, "The odds are nine out of ten that it's true. I understand the Marquis of Bull; he would definitely go mad in pursuit of immortality."

"Father, do you think this is true? Would the Marquis of Bull really assassinate the Grand Duke's dragon?"

"Is there a problem with that? It's just the killing of a dragon. If no one had the guts, how would the world have ever seen the rise of heroes with the title of Dragon Slayer?"

"Dragon Slayers are heroes because they kill Evil Dragons. But murdering the Grand Duke's dragon is an atrocious act," Levis countered.

"If he succeeds, who will care whether he killed a good Dragon or an evil Dragon... Levis, I hope you can calm yourself. As the heir of Coral Island, you're not as composed as your brother Liszt."

"I... I just find it hard to believe this fact."

"Belief is not important; what you need to learn is to distinguish the primary from the secondary," the Earl said. "Liszt brought this news solemnly. He cannot tell if it's true or false, and neither can I. But that doesn't prevent us from discussing the impact it would have on the Family and on Coral Island if it were true."

Levis wanted to say something, then gave up: "Yes, Father."

"Tell me your thoughts, what impact would the Marquis of Bull hunting the Sapphire Dragon have?"

"It would be a disaster. Without the Sapphire Dragon, our country could no longer exist; the Sapphire Family would be destroyed, and all the smaller families, including ours, that depend on the Sapphire Family would be doomed too," Levis grew increasingly anxious as he spoke, "Father, if it's true, we must prepare!"

"Your analysis is still not comprehensive enough. The Marquis of Bull's assassination of the Dragon could end in three outcomes—failure, success, and something in between. Each outcome will bring a different situation we need to deal with, and how should Coral Island position itself in such scenarios?"

Levis fell into deep thought; he was only a young man in his twenties who had not yet married.

...

Meanwhile.

Liszt had already handed Chris over to Paris and quickly returned to the study, finding a place to sit down.

The Earl asked, "Did you arrange everything?"

"I left her with my guard, Paris. You can rest assured, Father. Paris is trustworthy and will not make a mistake," Liszt knew what the Earl wanted to ask.

The Earl, however, seemed to recall something odd and said, "Although I don't think inheriting your mother's looks is an advantage for a male noble, it often has certain benefits... Still, young people should learn self-restraint."

Liszt didn't understand what he was getting at but nodded anyway.

The Earl changed the subject and added, "But you shouldn't be too restrained either; five pounds of snake meat is truly too little!"

"Father, the meat of an Intermediate Sea Monster is just a novelty for you, but for me, it is a huge help. It's critical for my future and reaching greater heights... Actually, I've brought gifts for you, Brother, and for Lidun as well—armors made from the skin of the Six-Headed King Serpent for each of you," Liszt said calmly.

He had to admit, five pounds of snake meat was not overly generous, but hunting the Six-Headed King Serpent had taken a lot of effort, and the meat, which was an excellent ingredient for pairing with medicines, was something he truly didn't want to share.

So, he simply compensated with the snake skin armors.

Upon hearing about the snake skin armors, and even with a share for Lidun, the Earl finally expressed satisfaction: "Learning to control your desires and understanding trade-offs is good progress. As a father, I can understand your urgent desire for improvement in strength; you wasted too much time when you were young."

"I'm glad you understand. Being born into the Tulip Family with the least talent really troubled me a lot."

"But knightly honor favors you more," Levis interjected.

A few words and three armors resolved the apparent rift between father and son. The harmonious atmosphere of the family returned as they began to discuss the myriad issues arising from the Marquis of Bull's assassination attempt on the Dragon.